📍 French Adverbs of Place – A Complete Guide

Adverbs of place tell us where an action takes place or where something is located. In French, they usually answer the question “Où ?” (Where?). They are very common in everyday conversation.

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1. Basic Adverbs of Place

• ici → here

• là → there

• là-bas → over there

• ailleurs → elsewhere

• partout → everywhere

• nulle part → nowhere

Examples:

• Viens ici ! → Come here!

• Il est là-bas, près de la gare. → He is over there, near the train station.

• On ne trouve ce produit nulle part. → You can’t find this product anywhere.

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2. Adverbs Showing Position

• devant → in front

• derrière → behind

• dessus → on top / above

• dessous → underneath

• dedans → inside

• dehors → outside

• au-dessus → above

• au-dessous → below

Examples:

• Le chat est devant la porte. → The cat is in front of the door.

• Les clés sont dessous la table. → The keys are under the table.

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3. Adverbs Showing Movement or Distance

• loin (de) → far (from)

• près (de) → near (to)

• partout → everywhere

• ailleurs → elsewhere

• autour → around

Examples:

• Ils habitent loin d’ici. → They live far from here.

• Viens près de moi. → Come close to me.

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4. Compound Expressions of Place

Some adverbs of place combine with prepositions.

• à côté (de) → next to / beside

• en haut → upstairs / at the top

• en bas → downstairs / at the bottom

• au milieu (de) → in the middle (of)

• à gauche (de) → on the left (of)

• à droite (de) → on the right (of)

Examples:

• Le cinéma est à côté du restaurant. → The cinema is next to the restaurant.

• La chambre est en haut. → The bedroom is upstairs.

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5. Key Tips

• Many place adverbs are used on their own (ici, là, dehors).

• Others are often followed by de + noun (à côté de la maison, près de l’école).

• They are very useful for giving directions, describing locations, or telling someone where to go.

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✅ Quick Recap

• Simple words: ici, là, là-bas, ailleurs, partout, nulle part

• Position words: devant, derrière, dessus, dessous, dedans, dehors

• Movement & distance: loin, près, autour

• Compound forms: à côté de, en haut, en bas, au milieu de, à gauche de, à droite de

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Translate into French:

1. The dog is outside.

2. Come here, please.

3. The supermarket is next to the pharmacy.

4. My phone is under the table.

5. They live far from Paris.

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👉 Mastering French adverbs of place will help you describe locations clearly and sound more natural in everyday conversations.

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